NYX targets makeup artists and ‘makeup addicts’ in L’Oréal’s new venture in Brazil

After being acquired by the French group three years go, the brand had its first store open in Rio in July and plans to launch new points of sale throughout Rio de Janeiro state and São Paulo by the end of the year.

Created in 1999 in the U.S. by South Korean entrepreneur Toni Ko, NYX Professional Makeup has emerged as an alternative between premium and mass-market makeup brands, claiming to offer professional-standard products to suit every budget. Available in 70 countries around the world, the company first landed in Brazil in 2007 and has recently been relaunched by the L’Oréal Group after its acquisition three years ago.

Bianca Pi, director of NYX in Brazil

“L’Oréal’s mission is to offer beauty for all. In order to turn this concept into reality, it is crucial that we make high quality products widely available, including makeup, a category that has grown rapidly in Brazil in recent years,” says Bianca Pi, director of NYX in Brazil. Accounting for 26.4% of L’Oréal’s current turnover, the makeup category – which already has brand Maybelline in its consumer products division – has become one of the beauty giant’s strategic priorities for the next years.

As part of the NYX’s restructuring plan, L’Oréal closed the kiosks that were still in operation in Brazil, which totaled 30 points of sale at the peak of operations, and collected the products. In this new phase, the brand will operate only through its own stores, offering more than 1500 products out of the 3000 items available in NYX’s portfolio – all of which will be imported into Brazil. The brand’s first store opened its doors in July in Rio.

“It’s hard to work with such a wide product mix within the limited space of a kiosk. The stores will follow standards that include size and window display, aiming to create an inspiring environment for customers,” says Pi. The new stores – which Pi compares to candy shops – will have at least 80m2, seven meters of shop windows, plenty of mirrors and makeup available for testing. “We want customers to feel free to express themselves through makeup,” says Pi.

She claims that NYX has two main target audiences in Brazil: professional makeup artists and what she calls ‘makeup junkies’ – teenagers and young women who describe themselves as ‘addicted to makeup’. A survey conducted by Nielson found that despite the unfavorable economic scenario in Brazil, this cosmetic category actually gained more than 2 million new consumers in the last year. More than 60% of them are women between the ages of 19 and 25.

Product prices range from from R$ 20 (lip liners) to R$ 150 (eye shadow palettes). “We know how costly it can be for a professional makeup artist to build their own makeup kit. That’s why we offer a wide range of prices to suit every budget, from students ready to build their first kit to experienced makeup artists, who will find a wide choice of textures, colors, tools and finishings to add to their kits,” says Pi.

With the professional market in mind, NYX sponsored the 8th International Makeup Congress, held in São Paulo in September during the latest edition of Beauty Fair. In addition to having a stand at the event, the brand held discussions about makeup trends among its team members and guests, including drag queen Nina Codorna, winner of the 1st Face Awards Brazil, organized by NYX.

By the end of this year, more of the brand’s stores will be opened in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. NYX also plans to launch its e-commerce platform, which is currently under research and will take into account the most sought-after products locally. “We’re confident that NYX will be a hit in Brazil,” adds Bianca Pi.

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